Ahmadhiyya International School (AIS) has made the subjects of writing Thaana (Dhivehi writing system) and Arabic compulsory for students. 

AIS Principal Mohamed Rasheed said in an interview with Mihaaru News that it is imperative to instill a love for Islam and Dhivehi subjects from a young age. Students should, at the very least, know how to write their names in Arabic and Dhivehi, he believes. 

Rasheed reflected how sometimes, the handwriting of a student who completes Grade 10 appears nearly ineligible to another person. 

"From the writing of a student who completes Grade 10, it is hard to tell apart some letters, such as faafu, dhaalu, laamu and lhaviyani. There is no way you can tell them apart. It's all mixed together. They won't even know to write their own names in Arabic," he said. 

For these reasons, lessons in writing should be begun from lower grades onward, he maintains. From this academic year onwards, writing Dhivehi and Arabic have been made compulsory subjects in Ahmadhiyya International School from Grades 1 to 8. 

"It is our own beautiful language. No child knows how to write even their own names well in Arabic. Us muslims must know to at least write our own names in Arabic. We should know how to write our names neatly in Thaana," Rasheed stressed. 

"To encourage this, writing Dhivehi and Thaana have been made separate compulsory subjects, which will be included in the final reports as well," Rasheed explained. 

Ahmadhiyya International School has over 2,000 students, enrolled in grades ranging from preschool to 12. 

Currently, the school employs 258 teachers. The school has shifted to single sessions from this academic year onwards.